Luke Metcalf kicks the winning drop goal. St George Dragons v One NZ Warriors. Photo: David Neilson/Photosport
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NZ Warriors coach Andrew Webster insists his team's newfound fondness for penalty kicks has not become a philosophy, merely a situational strategy.
Halfback Luke Metcalf slotted two first-half penalties during the Warriors' 15-14 thriller over St George Illawarra Dragons at Wollongong last weekend, before also connecting on the winning field goal with 10 minutes remaining on the clock.
The first penalty stretched an early lead to 8-0, while the second put the visitors 14-0 after half an hour, playing with a wind at their backs.
Ultimately, those goals proved crucial to the outcome, as the Dragons outscored their rivals three tries to two, yet still lost.
Taking the kick at goal represents a double-edged gamble in that a) the kick still has to be successful, and b) you've turned down a possible six points for an easier two.
In most circumstances, teams would probably kick for touch in search of a try or, at the very least, build pressure on a tiring defence that may pay dividends later, which seemed to be the Warriors' methodology, as they ground down Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters earlier this season.
In those encounters, they were happy enough to spend set after set on the opposition tryline without scoring, battering away, until the defence finally snapped.
Since then, they have relied on late penalties from Metcalf's boot for victories over West Tigers and Brisbane Broncos.
They were game-winning kicks in the dying moments, but the timing of the penalties against the Dragons was curious.
Photo: Brett Costello
"Moment by moment, really," reflected Webster on the decision to kick for goal. "There were some we said no, we wanted to stay down there and put some work into them, but there were other times we said this was the perfect time to do it.
"We have a strategy meeting around when we like to do it and when we don't. We just felt, on the weekend, it was a good opportunity.
"The first one put us up eight and the second time, it was 14-0, so they had to score three tries to beat us."
Webster was satisfied with the outcome.
"Definitely, it gave us the chance to kick a field goal. If we don't do it, they scored more tries than us - we scored two, they scored three, so it definitely worked."
While the Warriors are winning, it's hard to question their approach, but if Dragons kicker Valentine Holmes had been more successful with his boot - he converted only one of their three tries and also missed a field goal attempt - they might have rued those two lost opportunities to keep the foot on the throat.
